Inhibitory Control, Self-Efficacy, and Mathematics Achievements in Students with Learning Disabilities

This study examines the link between inhibitory control skills (the ability to plan and suppress an inappropriate action in favour of a goal-oriented reaction) and the sense of self-efficacy (both social and emotional), and mathematics achievements in students with learning disabilities. In this study, 60 sixth-grade students with learning disabilities who attended integrated classes in a general education setting were tested using three instruments: an inhibitory control questionnaire, a self-efficacy questionnaire, and a mathematics achievement test. Findings show that learning-disabled learners have better mathematics achievements and social self-efficacy the higher their inhibitory control skills are. Interestingly, no statistically significant association was found between inhibitory control and emotional self-efficacy. An examination of the pattern of associations between the study parameters pointed to a statistically significant absence of a mediating effect by self-efficacy on the link between inhibitory control and mathematics achievements. The two linked variables appear to be independent variables and the emotional component of self-efficacy is a predictor of achievement. In addition to this, self-efficacy was found to facilitate better inhibitory control.